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This week 3DR launched DroneEDU, an initiative to sponsor and support high school and university programs around the world who are interested in researching or using UAV technology. DroneEDU offers universal discounts on products, as well as classroom support and free autopilots and full drone systems on a per-case basis.

Why we’re doing it

“UAV technology can have an incredible impact in scientific study, with real-world applications in solving both historical mysteries and modern global challenges,” said Brandon Basso, VP of software engineering at 3DR. “This program is designed to provide access to these exciting, engaging and versatile tools to students at all levels of education, from grade school through post-graduate study.”

In other words, the most exciting thing about partnering with educators is that today no one knows exactly where this technology can take us. The full potential is only now beginning to be digested and applied to different industries and research fields. What’s already clear is that UAVs are the most exciting and promising new academic arena to emerge in a while: They’ll propel science and learning, open up new fields of study and assist in making discoveries that would have been unrealistic or unimaginable before this technology.

White board to real world

But the true impact of scientific study is the advancement it enables in real world applications. Ultimately, all this research manifests as real tools that people outside of the classroom will use for good, such as we’ve already seen in bird and habitat protection, site survey, invasive species protection and even archaeology.

By putting computers in the sky, drones open new potential for connected digital technology. For just one example—out of innumerable applications—academic drone research has propelled the following advancements in conservation and habitat study: GPS/satellite geotagging and mapping, cloud services, mobile services, camera networking, radio telemetry, LiDAR and data capture and analysis from field observation.

These advancements have helped researchers evaluate biodiversity in hard-to-reach places, track endangered species and document real-time special and environmental changes, among them changes in behavior that may indicate the presence or threat of poaching. Take this one case study and multiply it across disciplines and the potential suddenly begins to reveal itself: A robust and diverse academic community will spread knowledge and leverage technology and innovation across disciplines, including many that we in the UAV industry would never have thought of on our own.

The cool factor

The next generation of innovators—the kids who grow up with a smartphone in their pocket and learn how to code in grade school—will be the ones who will really take UAV technology to the next level. This is critically important to the industry, to our company, and yes, to communities and the world at large. Even the FAA has acknowledged this, choosing leading university partners for each of their six official test sites. And to illustrate how widespread UAV programs are, even Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University now has a full-fledged UAV program.

As a case in point, at the prestigious ASME Student Design Competition (SDC) last year, the international collection of teams—including universities from China, France, India, Peru, Turkey and across the US—were asked for the first time to bring their engineering skills to bear on drones: design and build an original UAV, guide it successfully through a series of obstacles, complete a targeted payload drop and return to launch.

And it’s not just higher ed. Forward-thinking high schools around the world have already discovered this potential on their own, adding drone technology courses to their standard curriculum. These courses are popular, and have connected participating schools and students with UAV companies and researchers in the real world. DroneEDU will foster exactly these types of connections and nurture an ecosystem of new innovators.

Here’s a quick list of the benefits of UAV study as we see it:

• UAV technology cuts across disciplines. Students learn and apply skills in math, electronics, aeronautics, physics, programming, project management and more.
• Real-world applications: Not only will students be prepared to enter and contribute to this nascent and booming industry on the ground floor, but the constituent skills needed to understand, build and operate UAV technology will serve them in a variety of high-tech jobs or future fields of study.
• A leap ahead: And not just in high-tech know-how. High school students don’t typically see this level of technological engagement until they’re already deep into a college program.
• Software: As part of their UAV curriculum, one high school had students create their own mobile app that uses data provided by their drone to map a safe course for a school bus to navigate a disaster drone. This same program offered students the opportunity to acquire certification to use the modeling software they learned on.
• High-tech careers: UAV study provides students an array of skills that neatly translate into high-tech fields like programming and engineering.
• Engagement: Frankly, drones are cool. Across the board, high school teachers report that UAV classes solicit a phenomenal level of classroom engagement from students. It’s hands-on, and it’s flying robots. The cool factor draws students, and teachers can lever the novelty to teach serious skills. As one high school science put it, “[Science isn’t] all stuffy lab coats and chalkboards filled with equations. Yes, those things are important, but there are tangible, hands-on applications for science that are engaging, useful and, yes, even cool. If this course gives one student the confidence to pursue higher education, it will be a success. If one student decides to become a scientist based on what they do in this UAV course, it will be worth it.”
• Community engagement and impact: In the ASME competition, one team designed a drone specifically to help firefighters with situational awareness. At Stanford, students are developing fully biodegradable drones that could one day explore Mars. And four high schools in Alaska had their UAV tech students participate in activities such as simulated search-and-rescues, charting sea ice and data collection for a NASA aviation safety project.
• Professional connections: 3DR offers students a bridge from education to profession. A high school case study: Northrop Grumman sponsored a team of high school students to compete in the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Outback Challenge 2013, aimed at promoting UAVs and demonstrating their vehicles in civilian applications. Northrop Grumman executives and employees met with students to provide key insights about their progress. Said a science teacher involved with the project, “This partnership between industry and education enables us to provide exciting and challenging opportunities for our students to work with cutting-edge technology and understand the opportunities that exist for them once they graduate.”

How to get on board

3DR has always actively engaged the academic community. We already sponsor several university UAV programs, including Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley. (Both schools have signed on as DroneEDU launch partners.) And we were also the only drone company to present at the first UAVs in Environmental Science Conference.

“Recently 3D Robotics donated hardware to SUAVE, Stanford’s UAV Club,” said Trent Lukaczyk of Stanford’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. “We’re using that equipment to grow and upgrade the SUAVE 101 Course: an intro course that mentors students with zero drone experience into an autonomous flying hero.”

“Even for college seniors, the task of designing and assembling a functional system in a three-month period is challenging,” said Tom Clark, Development Engineer, Mechanical Engineering Department, Cal Berkeley. “With 3DR’s partnership, our students have been able to spend less time learning about quadrotor technology that is currently on the market, and instead focus on the developing their own applications or hardware that builds on that technology. We’re grateful for 3DR’s support!”

If you’re currently using or contemplating purchasing a UAV or autopilot technology for your classroom or program, 3DR would like to support your engagement. DroneEDU is open to all educators and students that will be connected with programs utilizing and training on UAV technology, from professors to admins and enrolled students, no matter how large or small your project is.   Click here to get started.